Lips

In the summer before my freshman year of high school, my friend Nancy taught me how to kiss.

I hadn’t had a boyfriend yet but figured I should probably prepare myself before school started, just in case. Nancy, having dated a boy earlier that year, was my closest friend with the appropriate experience, so on our breaks during the algebra class we took together that summer, Nancy dispensed various pearls of kissing wisdom like…

Eat grape lollipops before kissing to freshen the breath (according to Nancy, they worked better than breath mints)

Observe proper gum etiquette (gum should not change owners during a make-out session)

Practice makes perfect

Forget pillows. Nancy recommended making out with your knee or the back of your hand to more accurately assess spit production and refine your technique (Nancy was all about the scientific method; she wanted to be an engineer). I have to admit — the girl was sharp. 🙂

I hadn’t thought about those old kissing lessons for years until today, when I decided to put the new MAC Pro Longwear Lip Pencils ($18 each, part of the upcoming MAC Styledriven collection) to the test.

I’ve been obsessively collecting these creamy twist-up lip pencil liners for years, and I think my lips are better for it.

The regular MAC Lip Pencil line has some stellar colors, but I find myself missing my Cremesticks when my lips feel dry. Softer, smoother and slightly thicker than the Lip Pencils, the Cremesticks are all about comfort and hydration, which makes ’em perfect for lip TLC.

Okay, sure, it might look a little South Beach swingin’ seniors in its tube, but please, PLEASE, if you have any coral lipstick love in your heart, promise me you’ll try MAC Costa Chic ($14.50) at least once.

This frosty light coral unsung heroine has a distinctly old school flava I like. It reminds me of a hipper, updated version of the Revlon Orange Flip lipstick my granny wore back in the ’80s (and still wears to this day).

Since it is quite bright, I usually pair it with neutral eyes, and I think it looks particularly fetching with black winged eyeliner. When I’m in the mood to wear a retro cat eye but don’t feel like wearing it with a strong red or pink lip, I’ll often reach for Costa Chic.

I’ve kept this creamy, mid-tone neutral pink close for a few months. We met through the MAC Girl Next Door Kit and quickly hit it off, thanks to Deelight’s pigmented, hydrating formula, smooth, non-sticky texture and light vanilla flavor and scent (Side note: Deelight’s available by itself at MAC stores and counters; you don’t have to purchase the kit).

Deelight’s what I like to think of as an “everything” gloss — easy to work into almost every look, from sexy, sooty smokey eyes to things like the everyday neutral eye I’m wearing here. Whenever I want to wear pink, but not a warm pink like I get from my go-to’s, Nympehtte and Evolution Revolution, it totally fits the bill.